discussion problems ch. 45-48

1. In Surmises, Melville quoted, "That protection could only consist in his own predominating brain and heart and hand, backed by a heedful, closely calculating attention to every minute atmospheric influence which it was possible for his crew to be subjected to." Ishmael hints that Ahab realizes the importance of the atmosphere and the crew's inner thoughts. How does this realization affect Ahab's strategy of  marking Moby-Dick as a superstitious figure afterwards? Does making the whale god-like a great solution of Ahab's case?

2. Ishmael states that "with my own hand I ply my own shuttle and weave my own destiny into these unalterable threads." While people have the "free will" to weave their own fate, the threads remain "unalterable." What does this symbolize about Ahab's voyage? Is Ahab forced by fate to pursue Moby-Dick and seek revenge or did he choose to do that?

3. Stub is described by Ishmael as "He would say the most terrific things to his crew, in a tone so strangely compounded of fun and fury, and the fury seemed so calculated merely as a spice to the fun, that no oarsman could hear such queer invocations without pulling for dear life, and yet pulling for the mere joke of the thing." In contrast to "dark" Ahab's furious and pushy tone, Stub charms the crew with the same power and dignity Ahab possesses. Why does Melville develop Stub into such a character? Is he meant to replace Ahab?